Articles by Elizabeth Sawin
Elizabeth Sawin is a mother, biologist, and systems analyst. A member of Cobb Hill Cohousing, she lives on an organic farm in Hartland, Vt. She works at the Sustainability Institute, a think-do tank founded by Donella Meadows.
All Articles
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How the bear inside you could save the world
“Sobs racked the body of a middle-aged man as he cradled the head of his baby, its dust-covered body dressed only in a blue diaper, lying beside the bodies of three other children, their colorful clothes layered with debris from their shattered homes.” I held this sentence, from a Reuters report on the civilian casualties […]
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Survival sometimes calls for cooperation, not competition
“Human beings will never cooperate. War and fighting are part of our very make-up. We’re competitive, violent animals.” That’s what the cynics say, and sometimes it seems as though there is plenty of evidence to support their case. The recent attacks on New York and Washington. Bosnia. Rwanda. Over-fished oceans and over-harvested forests. Fights over […]
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Bush should listen to his inner dad on climate change
We were exploring an unfamiliar pond. My four-year-old daughter was out in the water, up to her knees, when I called her back to shore: “It’s so muddy I can’t see if the pond gets deep quickly,” I said. “And I couldn’t reach you if you fell in. Better safe than sorry.” Parents try to […]
